Read Online Zombies Sold Separately by Cheyenne McCray - Free Book Online

grasped my upper arm.

 
     
    EIGHT
     
    I jerked my arm away from the grip and felt nails scratch my skin.
    My Tom Collins splashed onto my bare belly. At the same time my free hand automatically shot for the hilt of one of my Dragon-claw daggers. I whirled to see who had grabbed my arm.
    “My sincerest apologies.” Council Chief Leticia snatched her hand away from me and I saw the long, sculpted nails that had scraped me. “Such a large crowd. A group of Fae bumped into me and I caught your arm to steady myself, only more tightly than I had intended.”
    I froze in mid-motion and just stared at the Doppler who happened to be one of the most powerful females in the paranorm world. I had no idea what to say. The most respected paranorm representative had just scratched my arm with her nails and she looked upset at having done so.
    She easily composed herself, appearing sophisticated and refined as she took a step back with such grace she could have been Doppler royalty. For all I knew, she was.
    “Come.” She gave a little wave of her hand, indicating I should follow.
    It was an order, not an invitation, but I paused and glanced at the Tracker corner before looking back at Leticia. I still had time before the meeting to see what the council chief had to say.
    Leticia turned away from me and the lighting gleamed on her silver hair that was smoothed away from her unlined face and pulled back in a chignon. I downed my elderflower Tom Collins, set my glass on a table, and followed.
    She headed toward the elevated floor where paranorms played billiards along with games like pinball and air hockey. All of the games had some kind of paranorm twist that norms wouldn’t understand. Like the Brownie pinball game where the Brownie inside fought back by knocking the metal pinball away from the bonus points. Made it a lot harder to win.
    Billiards is the best game ever invented and we play it like norms do—no magic involved. No one ever beat me at pool, but I was afraid I was going to lose my edge if I didn’t start playing more often. I’d rarely had time to indulge since the Demons had almost destroyed New York City not all that long ago.
    I rubbed my upper arm where Leticia had scratched it and frowned as I trailed after her. To my right was the stage. The mime was already gone, and now a comedian I’d never seen was performing impersonations of both famous norms and well-known paranorms. I wondered if he’d have the guts to do an impression of the almighty Great Guardian. I would love to have seen it.
    Leticia directed us to a dark alcove on the main floor, past the stairs that led to the gaming level. Drow see well in the darkness, and I didn’t have to blink to get accustomed to how little light actually penetrated the corner we were headed to.
    The council chief sank into an overstuffed chair and looked at me. “That seat will be fine.” She gestured to the straight-back chair closest to her and I took it. “There. Perfect,” she said.
    The whole situation made me feel a little off-kilter. Leticia, a very sophisticated elderly female, was in the Pit of all places. The nightclub, which was a pretty nice place, looked almost primitive compared to her elegant appearance.
    I had never seen her outside the Paranorm Council’s chambers, not even off the throne she perched on at the center of the crescent-shaped council table. The only thing I’d seen her in before now was a set of brilliant yellow robes.
    Tonight she wore an elegant black dress that I thought might be a Dior and it fit her slender frame as if it had been tailored for her. She wore classic low heels that had to have been Burberrys and she held a Fendi clutch in her lap. At least she had good taste.
    Around her neck hung a large glittering blue sapphire pendant on a long, delicate chain made from a metal that couldn’t be found on the Earth Otherworld. I know because I’m Drow. Dark Elves mine ores and gemstones deep beneath the surface of Otherworld